Pop-Up Camper Specs

Popup campers fold into themselves, giving less wind resistance when towing.camping,trailer image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

Popup campers are tow-behind rigs that pack into a hard shell for efficient transport. As a general rule, popup style campers are less expensive than hard shell fifth-wheel style campers or full recreational vehicles. Popups have several specifications, including the pack-down size, weight, kitchen and sleeper features and hookup compatibility. Each popup maker markets and lists its products, but popup campers all follow the same general principle in design.

The Box

The popup camper box is the hard-shelled area of the camper. This "box" is where the soft sides pack into when being towed and transported. Generally speaking, a popup's box is between 8 and 18 feet long. When the sides open out, the popup's entire length for camping may be up to 30 feet. Under the box roof is the kitchen, shelves, dining room table and fridge.

A popup as a rule is lighter weight than hard shell campers. The popup weight is important when deciding what vehicle to use for towing the camper. Most popup campers fall between 1500 to 4000 pounds. Weight is the entire rig, including the axles, wheels and all accessories. This weight does not reflect any aftermarket add-ons or gear you store in the camper while towing.

Popups are measured out by "sleeps xxx," meaning, a popup is listed by saying how many people may comfortably sleep in the camper. Most popups have two pop-out sides that are used for sleeping beds, and some feature a fold-down dining table that doubles as a sleeping bed.

Popups are listed with their accessories and features. These include how many burners the stove has, if there is a microwave or oven, TV/Satellite hookups, external showers, storage shelves, propane tanks and lighting systems.